Everyone has facial hair, and some men are quite proud of theirs, while others don’t care much about it. Often, men fail to treat their beard with the same importance as the hair on their head, and that will surely result in consequences. It could lead to one looking quite unkempt, or lead to dandruff (yes, beard dandruff is a thing), or even hair fall.
Hence, just grooming one’s beard isn’t enough. After ensuring the cutting, styling, and trimming of the beard, it is important to maintain it as well, so that the hair remains healthy, and you are able to appreciate the beauty of your facial hair for a long time.
How can men maintain their beards?
Many men are quite familiar with the techniques for grooming and trimming their beards on account of doing it so often. But only a small percentage of those who choose to grow and keep a beard have been known to regularly maintain it. The best practices for maintain your beard are listed below.
1. Grooming
The best way to avoid an unkempt and shabby look is through grooming. One must always remember that the beard never stops growing, hence it is important to regularly trim and groom it, even if it is just a little, to ensure that the look of your beard is clean.
2. Routine washing
Your beard can start to look pretty unruly if you don’t ensure that it is kept clean. It is always a possibility that food particles may get stuck in it, especially with a long and thick beard, if it is not regularly washed or taken care of. Ideally, every time you shampoo your hair, you should be washing your beard as well. You’ll find beard-specific cleansing products from some brands, but your regular shampoo will suffice too. Ensure that the shampoo suits the needs of your hair and skin and is not keeping it oily or drying it out.
3. Hydrating
It is important to constantly hydrate your beard so as to nourish the hair and strengthen it. The best way to do so is to use beard oil. A beard oil hydrates and conditions the facial hair as well as reinforces the hairs in case they are suffering or neglected. Beard oils are available from multiple brands, so it is important to try and test products to see what suits you best. They also come with many musky scents that make you feel macho and manly. In case you’ve never used oil in your beard before, here’s how you do so:
• Pour a few drops into your palm and spread evenly across both palms. Make sure not to use too much oil, as this will leave your beard too oily, and that is not a great look. Just 2 or 3 drops should be enough.
•Massage it into your facial hair, and make sure it is evenly spread all over the hair as well. The massage should be gentle and thorough so as to ensure that the hair from the roots to the tips is covered. Make sure the oil reaches the skin under the beard as well, as this needs nourishment too.
•On average, this should be done 2 or 3 times a week.
• If you notice a greasy appearance or oil build-up in your beard, reduce the number of times you shave.
4. Health
Just taking care of your beard or ensuring that you’re oiling it and washing it is not enough. For a healthy beard to grow, it requires a healthy host as well, which means men have to make sure they are taking care of their own physical health also. A good, luscious beard needs certain vitamins, which can easily be obtained with a balanced diet. The list of requirements is as below:
• Niacin (Vitamin B3): This nutrient keeps your skin healthy, promotes healthy blood circulation, and aids in hair growth. Get it from legumes, salmon, and chicken breast.
• Vitamin B7 (Biotin)-Biotin helps increase your body’s production of keratin, the protein that makes up the structure of your skin, hair, and nails. That ensures your hair stays healthy, strong, and undamaged. You can get vitamin B7 from eggs, salmon, avocado, sweet potatoes, and other natural sources.
• Vitamin D-Vitamin D balances hormones, supports testosterone production, and contributes to healthy hair follicles. Your body produces vitamin D when exposed to sunlight, but you can also get it from nuts, dairy, and supplements.
• Vitamin E-A powerful antioxidant and moisturizer, vitamin E strengthens and hydrates your hair to protect it from damage and ensure healthy growth. You can get vitamin E in your diet through spinach and other leafy greens, beans, avocados, and soybeans.
5. Sleep
Sleep is also a vital part of staying healthy and has been said to affect the health of people’s hair and men’s beards. Hence, sleeping properly and getting a good 7 to 8 hours is important in order for you to have a healthy growth of hair on both your head and your face.
Conclusion
As mentioned above, just grooming of one’s beard is by far not enough. You should also maintain your beard for the long run to keep it always looking healthy and on point. If the mentioned steps are followed, there is no doubt that a man will see himself with a much more nourished and good-looking beard within weeks of starting the maintenance process. It is also important to keep in mind that the growth of beards is based on a man’s genes. Hence the above will not magically grow your hair, but it will ensure that the hair that does grow lush and healthy and thereafter is maintained well.